It is the object of the present invention to improve the operation, production and performance of an apparatus for dividing and kneading dough and, in addition, to provide an apparatus having a mode of operation which is more efficient than prior art devices in order to provide the baker with the ability to better control the individually desired amounts of dough and to consider the quality of the dough, especially with regard to the variables of kneading space and the tendency of the kneaded dough to stick. The device of this invention enables the baker to perform the most important adjustments during the operation of the apparatus, so that the baker will be able to observe the ejected dough during the operation of the apparatus and will be able to make any adjustments or improvements he deems necessary on the respective settings of the apparatus. The instant invention is also concerned with producing an apparatus which is simple and inexpensive in that it operates economically, as well as being simple and safe to assemble and to clean as well as being easy to maintain and to operate.
The instant invention provides a cam mechanism which is formed by means of two independently-adjustable cam members, namely, by a first cam member which adjusts the first cam section in the control of the filling-device, and by a second cam member which adjusts the second cam section in the control of the kneading device, whereby the two cam sections are formed in such a manner that in each operational setting of the two cam sections a changing of the guide member of the measuring flask from the first-mentioned cam member to the second-mentioned cam member is possible. Preferably, the first cam controls the volume and thereby the weight of the individual pieces of dough, while the second cam section guides the measuring flask on the path from the filling position into the ejection position and controls the height of the kneading space in the kneading position. In order to realize this in an advantageous manner, the second cam member which operates in the control of the kneading device activates an oscillating movement automatically independent of the gradual rotation of the drum and the periodic stopping of the same, while the cam member which operates in the control of the filling device is manually movable (i.e. forwardly-and-rearwardly) during the operation of the apparatus.
In a preferred embodiment, the cam member which operates in the control of the kneading device is actuated by a continuously-rotating shaft which performs multiple rotations in excess of those of the intermittently-rotating drum, whereby the number of rotations of the continuously-rotating shaft corresponds with the number of drum stops for a full rotation of the drum. It is of a special advantage that the continuously-rotating shaft carries a cam having a form which corresponds with the desired upwards and downwards movements of the cam rail of the kneading space, and thereby with those movements of the measuring flask, and which moves a shaft forwardly and backwardly by means of a cam roller and a cam lever, whereby the shaft lifts and lowers the cam rail of the kneading space by means of a pinion and gear rack.
For the purpose of adjusting to the individual quantity of dough and the quality of dough, the instant inventive apparatus provides between the cam lever and the shaft, a connection which can be angularly adjusted by hand during operation.
A further improvement is provided by the instant invention in that the cam member which operates in the control of the filling device is fixed on the drum axle and is manually adjustable during operation by means of a worm gear and a screw which are mounted on the drum axle. The two cam members, namely, the cam rail for the control of dough-kneading space and the cam disc for the weight-adjustment, are preferably mutually arranged in a manner that the kneading area cam rail, with its inner inlet area, transverses the effective guiding edge of the cam disc approximately in the area of the filling position, or in the direction of the drum rotation after the filling position, and the guiding edge and inlet area are mutually-arranged in such a manner that each roller is able to roll from the guiding edge of the cam disc to the inlet area of the kneading area cam rail. For the further phase of kneading the dough, the invention provides that the kneading area cam rail ends in each setting of height in front of the outlet device, and the guide member of the measuring flask stands in the operational area of an ejection-lever which moves the measuring flask outwardly. Since the activating of the ejection lever is thus effected by means of a cam, the ejection speed may be adapted to the desired conditions by adjusting or replacing the cam with a differently formed cam.
The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 brings each measuring flask consecutively into three working positions, namely, a filling position, a kneading position and a removal position, whereby a further holding position is provided between the removal position and the filling position.
The time spent in each of these positions is determined solely by the time which is required in the kneading position for kneading the dough, while only a fraction of the kneading time is utilized for filling in the filling position and for removal of the dough in the removal position; the duration of the kneading position, however, cannot be reduced since initially a certain amount of time is required for loosening the dough from the walls of the measuring chamber as well as from the measuring flask, whereupon the piece of dough is only gradually formed into a ball; the inventive apparatus of one embodiment of this invention recognizes this disadvantage of the prior art machines of this type, independent of whether they have three or more holding positions. In order to avoid this disadvantage, another embodiment of the instant invention provides four holding positions for each measuring chamber, namely, first, for filling with the dough, second for loosening the dough from the walls of the measuring chamber and from the measuring flask, as well as a simultaneous pre-kneading of the dough piece, third, for finishing the kneading and last, for removing the kneaded dough. In this embodiment, for each measuring chamber, there are provided five holding positions, whereby the fifth position is an idling position between the removal position of the kneaded dough and the filling position of the dough.
It may be of an advantage to provide a mutual activating means for the kneaders for the second and third holding positions which preferably serve all measuring chambers located in the two rows of measuring chambers.